**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 1671 regarding the Government's measures to promote the growth of processed food export companies, particularly shrimp and seafood exporters. It outlines various initiatives by different ministries and departments to support the sector's growth, sustainability, and competitiveness. The answer was provided on February 10, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Government Initiatives:**
* The Government, through the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the Department of Fisheries, and the Department of Commerce, is implementing multiple initiatives to promote the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability of the processed food and seafood export sector.
* **Schemes by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries:**
* Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana
* Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme
* Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries
* These schemes provide demand-driven financial assistance for the development of modern processing and supply chain infrastructure.
* **Fisheries and Seafood Exports:**
* The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana is being implemented across all States and Union Territories to support fisheries infrastructure, value chains, post-harvest and cold-chain facilities, and capacity building.
* Interventions include quality fish production, diversification of aquaculture, promotion of export-oriented species, disease management, traceability, mandatory use of Turtle Excluder Devices, stock assessment of marine resources, and modern post-harvest infrastructure.
* **Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA):**
* Provides financial assistance under its Financial Assistance Scheme for development of export infrastructure, quality development, and market development.
* APEDA has extended assistance to registered exporters in Andhra Pradesh, undertaken training and capacity-building programmes, facilitated participation in international and domestic trade fairs and Buyer-Seller Meets, promoted branding of Indian value-added and geographical indication products, launched BHARATI to support agri-export start-ups, conducted a study on the processed food sector, and disseminated market intelligence through the Agri-Exchange platform.
* **Export Promotion Mission:**
* The Export Promotion Mission, announced in the Union Budget 2025–26, provides a unified, outcome-oriented framework to strengthen export competitiveness, particularly for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, first-time exporters, and labour-intensive sectors.
* **Monitoring and Growth:**
* The Government regularly monitors global demand trends.
* Exports of processed food products increased from USD 8,895.50 million in 2023 to USD 9,267.18 million in 2024, with India's share in global exports at about 1.35 per cent.
* The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has undertaken a study titled “Assessment of Export Potential of Seafood Products in the Emerging Global Economy”.
* **Overall Objectives:**
* Enhance exports
* Improve market access and quality standards
* Promote sustainable growth
* Generate employment across the value chain
* Strengthen the competitiveness of India's processed food sector, including seafood.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Processed Food Export Companies (including shrimp and seafood exporters, particularly from Andhra Pradesh)**
* **Impact:** Benefit from the initiatives to promote growth, competitiveness, and sustainability.
* **Action Required:** Utilize available financial assistance schemes, participate in training programs, trade fairs, and leverage market intelligence platforms to enhance exports and competitiveness.
**Stakeholder: Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the processed food sector**
* **Impact:** Benefit from financial assistance for modernizing infrastructure and improving supply chain efficiency, leading to better export competitiveness.
* **Action Required:** Apply for relevant schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana and Production Linked Incentive Scheme, and engage with the Agri-Exchange platform for market intelligence.
**Stakeholder: First-time exporters in the processed food sector**
* **Impact:** Receive support through the Export Promotion Mission and APEDA's initiatives, enabling them to enter the global market.
* **Action Required:** Utilize resources provided by APEDA, such as training programs and market development assistance, to build export capabilities.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Commerce and Industry: The primary ministry responsible for promoting the growth of processed food export companies.
Ministry of Food Processing Industries: Implements schemes for development of processing infrastructure
Department of Commerce: Implements initiatives to promote growth, competitiveness, and sustainability of the processed food and seafood export sector.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana: A scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries providing financial assistance for food processing infrastructure development.
Andhra Pradesh: A state specifically mentioned as a focus for promoting processed food and seafood exports.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1671
ANSWERED ON 10/02/2026
PROCESSED FOOD EXPORT COMPANIES
1671. DR. D. PURANDESWARI
Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री) be
pleased to state:
(a) the details of measures being taken by the Government to promote the growth
of processed food export companies, including shrimp and seafood exporters
particularly from Andhra Pradesh, following the strong performance of firms;
(b) whether the Government has assessed the impact of global demand, export
incentives, and regulatory frameworks on small and medium-sized food
processing companies, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) the steps being taken to ensure sustainable growth, quality standards and market
access for Indian food exporters; and
(d) the manner in which these initiatives expected to enhance exports, employment
and competitiveness of India’s processed food sector?
ANSWER
वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्यमंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद)
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) to (d) The Government, through the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the
Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and
Dairying, and the Department of Commerce, is implementing multiple initiatives to
promote the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability of the processed food and
seafood export sector, including exporters in Andhra Pradesh.
Schemes of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, namely the Pradhan Mantri
Kisan SAMPADA Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing
Enterprises Scheme, and the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing
Industries, provide demand-driven financial assistance for development of modern
processing and supply chain infrastructure across the country, including for Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises.
For fisheries and seafood exports, including shrimp, the Pradhan Mantri Matsya
Sampada Yojana is being implemented across all States and Union Territories. The
scheme supports fisheries infrastructure, value chains, post-harvest and cold-chain
facilities, and capacity building, and includes interventions such as quality fish
production, diversification of aquaculture, promotion of export-oriented species, disease
1management, traceability, mandatory use of Turtle Excluder Devices, stock assessment
of marine resources, and modern post-harvest infrastructure, with the objective of
promoting sustainable growth and compliance with international norms.
To promote exports of agricultural and processed food products, the Department of
Commerce, through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development
Authority, provides financial assistance under its Financial Assistance Scheme for
development of export infrastructure, quality development, and market development.
APEDA has extended assistance to registered exporters in Andhra Pradesh, undertaken
training and capacity-building programmes, facilitated participation in international and
domestic trade fairs and Buyer–Seller Meets, promoted branding of Indian value-added
and geographical indication products, launched BHARATI to support agri-export start-
ups, conducted a study on the processed food sector, and disseminated market
intelligence through the Agri-Exchange platform.
Further, the Export Promotion Mission, announced in the Union Budget 2025–26,
provides a unified, outcome-oriented framework to strengthen export competitiveness,
particularly for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, first-time exporters, and labour-
intensive sectors.
The Government regularly monitors global demand trends. Exports of processed food
products increased from USD 8,895.50 million in 2023 to USD 9,267.18 million in 2024,
with India’s share in global exports at about 1.35 per cent.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has also undertaken a study titled
“Assessment of Export Potential of Seafood Products in the Emerging Global Economy”.
Collectively, these initiatives are intended to enhance exports, improve market access
and quality standards, promote sustainable growth, generate employment across the
value chain, and strengthen the competitiveness of India’s processed food sector,
including seafood.
*****
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